Mirrors and cameras have been used as apparatuses for viewing an area in front and to one side (oblique forward area) of a vehicle. Viewing apparatuses using mirrors are disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-255915 (JP-A 2004-255915) and are proposed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-16636 (Laid-Open Publication No. JP-A 2009-173246), for example.
In the viewing apparatus disclosed in JP-A 2004-255915, a first mirror for displaying an area in front and to one side of a vehicle is provided to a sub-pillar that forms a triangular sub-window, an image displayed by the first mirror is reflected toward a second mirror provided to a front pillar, and the driver sees the image displayed in the second mirror. The driver can therefore view the area in front and to one side of the vehicle via the second mirror.
However, in the viewing apparatus disclosed in JP-A 2004-255915, it is impossible to view a front body as well as the lateral area in the vicinity of the front body and the area in the vicinity of the front wheels. Moreover, the second mirror is viewed by the driver directly, and the direction (angle) thereof can be adjusted as needed, but this angle adjustment takes time.
The viewing apparatus proposed in JP-A 2009-173246 is configured so that a first reflective mirror used to display an area in front and to one side of a vehicle is provided to a mirror housing in which a mirror body is accommodated, and an image displayed in the first reflective mirror is reflected toward a second reflective mirror provided to the surface of the front pillar in the interior of the passenger compartment. The driver can view the area in front and to one side of the vehicle displayed in the second reflective mirror.
However, in the viewing apparatus according to Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-16636, light from the position of the sun, other vehicles, building, street lights, and other sources may be reflected by the second reflective mirror, causing the driver discomfort and difficulty seeing.
Moreover, the objects adjacent to the second reflective mirror, e.g., the left end portion of the instrument panel and the adhesive (e.g., black ceramic paste) applied to the end portions of the sub-window pane provided between the second reflective mirror and the first reflective mirror, are shown in the second reflective mirror and the range of visibility for the driver is restricted.
Furthermore, the mirror housing to which the first reflective mirror is provided is sometimes shown in the second reflective mirror along with the image of the area in front of and to one side of the vehicle, and light from the headlights of vehicles to the rear may be directly incident on the second reflective mirror from the periphery of the mirror housing.